Dyeing apparatus



March 31, 1925' 1,531,997

F. c. w. STELTER DYEING APPARATUS Filed May 14, I923 2 Sheets-Shoot l March 31. 1925.

1,531,997 F. c. w. STELTER- DYEING APPARATUS Filed May 14. 1'92;

2 Sheath out 2 ga a/2min? Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS C. W. STELTER, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK.

, DYEING AJPPARATUS.

Application filed May 14,

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, FRANors G. W. STEL- TER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Long Island City, in the county of 5 Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improve-- ments in Dyeing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to dyeing 1 apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for dyeing smallarticles such as garments, hosiery, yarn, etc. The apparatus may also be used for rinsing or washing the articles in connection with the dyeing operations. I contemplate using in combination several dyeing machines and a common storage tank to and from which the dye'liquid may be pumped from any of the machines to facilitate cleaning the machines and using them for .washing and rinsing purposes as well as dyeing. The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire apparatus.

Figure 2 is a sectional view through one of the dyeing machines on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of one of the tangential inlets on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial side elevation illustrating one of the steam and liquid inlets to the dye bath.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the dyeing machines and B a common storage tank to and from which the fluid may be pumped from each of the dyeing ma-, chines through connecting pipes 10.

Each dyeing machine comprises a tub 11 which may be elliptical in plan View, as shown. Centrally arranged in the tub is a wall 12 which is preferably parallel with the outer wall of the tub, thus providing an outer space 13 of substantially uniform width in which the dyeing operation takes place and an inner well 1.4: from which the liquid is pumped in the operation of dyeing as will be presently explained. The wall 12 of the well has perforations 15 at numerous points. Near the bottom of the tub, surrounding the well, is preferably placed a 1923. Serial No. 638,977.

false bottom 16 having perforations 17, a chamber 18 being thus provided at the bottom of the tub surrounding the well. The tub and the well and also the false bottom 16 may beconstructed of suitable wood or metal. I

On a fixed support at the top of the well is arranged a pump 19 of any suitable con struction driven'bya pulley 20. A rotary pump, as shown, is most convenient. The suction port of the pump is connected with a suction pipe 21 arranged in the Well and extending nearly to the bottom thereof so that practically all of the liquid can be pumped out of the tub when desired. The delivery port of the pump is connected to a pipe 22 which has three branches, two of the branches 23 lead to nozzles which dis charge more or less tangentially into the tub as will be presently explained. The third branch 10 leads to the common storage tank B. A loop pipe 24 connects the pipe 10 with the suction pipe 21 near the top thereof. In the branches 23 are valves 23 and in the branch 10 a valve 10. The loop 2-1 has a valve 24 and the suction pipe 21 has a valve 21 nearits upper end and just below the connection of the loop pipe with the suction pipe.

The branch pipes 23 deliver the dye fluid to the outer dyeing space 13 of the tub more or less tangentially to keep the fluid in the tub in motion and to create a certain amount of relative motion of the articles being treated. A partof the dye liquid is also pumped into the bottom chamber 18 to create upward currents through the perforations 17 in the false bottom for the purpose of preventing the articles being treated from settling on the bottom. It is desirable in dyeing operations to keep the articles being dyed from collecting in masses, and one of the objects of the invention is to not only keep the articles moving in the tub but to keep them moving relatively and keep them in open condition so that the dye liquid may reach all parts of the articles equally.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the dye liquid is injected into the tub through more or less tangential openings 25, the pipes 23 con'nnunicating with small casings 26 which are attached to the tub and which communicate with the openings 25. A continuation 23" of the pipe 23 is preferably provided, as shown in Figures 2 and l, to deliver a part of the dye liquid into the space 18 beneath the false bottom 16. It is preferable to inject more or less steam with the dye liquid to keep the liquid warm and this may be accomplished by connecting the steam pipe 27 with the pipe 23 above the delivery nozzles. This may be arranged as shown by leading both pipes into a Y-fitting 28. The steam can be controlled or cut oil by a valve 27.

'The operation is as follows: When articles are being dyed the valves 10 and 2a are closed and the valves 21" and 23 are open. The pump being operated, the liquid is pumped from the well 14 and delivered through the branch pipes 23 and the inclined openings 25 at the periphery of the tub. This keeps the liquid in the tub circulating around the well and also keeps the articleswhich are being dyedin motion and tends to give them relative motion and prevent them from accumulating in masses. At the same time a portion of the liquid is forced into the space 18 and upward through the perforations in the false bottom, thus preventing the articles from dragging on the bottom and assisting in keeping them moving relatively.

When the dyeing operation is finished the valves E23 are closed and the valve 10 opened whereupon all of the dye liquid in the tub may be pumped through the pipe 10 into the storage tank to permit the dye tub .to 'be=cleaned if necessary. During this operation the dye will naturally drain from the articles through the false bottom 16 and it will be removed fromthe bottom space 18 by the pump.

The dye may be returned to the tub from the storage tank by closing the valves 10 and 21 and opening the valves 23 and 2% which permits the pump to draw the fluid through the loop 9A and deliver it from the pipes 22, 23 to the tub. It will be evident that by providing a clear water connection to the pipe 10, with suitable valves, water may be drawn into the tub for washing purposes and pumped out again just as the dye is drawn in and pumped out, as previously described. It will be noted that all of these operations are carried on by a single pump and controlled simply by opening and closing valves.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5 the pump 28 takes the dye in the well 14- and delivers it to a plurality of points in the outer space 13 of the tub 11 to thereby etl'ect a circulation of the goods being dyed in the outer space 13. As shown, the discharge pipe 22 of the pump is di vided, one pi e 23 being connected to a nozzle 26* for discharging the dye into the outer space. As shown, this nozzle 26 is constructed to discharge the dye in a plurality of divergent streams. The other branch 23 is connected to a like nozzle 26. Prefen ably these nozzles are disposed, as shown in Figure 5, so that the center line of the nozzle is substantially parallel to the major axis of the well 14:. It is found that this arrangement of the nozzles effects agood circulation of the dye and goods.

Although specific forms of the invention having an inlet at its sioe, a perforated well 33 within the tub and in communication with the tub, and a pump arranged to withdraw dye liquid from the well and discharge it into the tub through said inlet.

2. A dyeing apparatus comprising a tub iaving tangentially arranged inlets in its side wall, a perforated well within the tub, and a pump and suitable piping arranged to withdraw dye liquid from the well and deliver it through said inlets into the tub, for

the purpose set forth.

3. A dyeing apparatus comprising a tub having tangentially arranged inlets in its side walls, a centrally arranged well within the tub, the well being in communication with the surrounding space within the tub, and a pump and suitable piping arranged to withdraw dye liquid from the well and deliver it into the tub through said inlets whereby the liquid may be continuously circulated and the goods under treatmenta gitated, for the purpose set forth.

LIn a dyeing apparatus, the combination with a tub, of a centrally arranged well within the tub, a pump supported on the well, a suction pipe extending from the pump approximately to the bottom of the well, and piping leading from the pump to tangentially arranged inlets in the side wall of the tub whereby the dye liquid may be continuously circulated and kept in motion in the tub.

5. In a dyeing apparatus, the combination of a tub, a centrally arranged well within the tub, a perforated false bottom in the tub surrounding the well, and means for injecting dye liquid into the side wall of the tub and into the space beneath the false bot tom whereby upward and lateral currents are created in the tub, for the purpose set forth.

6. In a dyeing apparatus, the combination with. a tub having a centrally arran ed vell therein, and a perforated false bottom surrounding the well and near the bottom of the tub, of a pump having a suction pipe eX- of a tub having tangentially arranged i11- tending nearly to the bottom of the Well and lets, ashielded outlet piping connecting Said having delivery pipes arranged to inject dye Outlet 0 S id inlets, apump in said piping 10 liquid tangentially into the tub and into the t0 (HIT/mate the y anchnmans dellvel space beneath the. false bottom, for the purt0 331d near Sald fillets heatpose set forth. lng purposes.

7 In a dyeing apparatus, the combination FRANCIS C. XV. STELTER. 

